November 2nd, 2008
Def Jam Executive Vice President Shakir Stewart, Jay-Z’s Successor Dies
Shakir Stewart, the guy who took over (the position that Jay-Z previously held) as executive Vice President of Def Jam Records, was found dead yesterday from a self-inflicted gun shot wound.
He was known best for signing artists such as Rick Ross and Young Jeezy. Stewart had stepped in to fill Jay-Z’s position just after he stepped down last December. He oversaw the development of new talent, managed producers and guided the label’s vision. His position had him traveling between Atlanta and New York. He graduated from Morehouse College. Def Jam was founded in the mid-1980s by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin.
